Overview of Drug Information resources

AHFS (American Society of Health-system Phrmacists)

General statements about an entire class of drugs, such as penicillins Individual drug descriptions, such as ampicillin, amoxicillin, etc. *Check both of these to find information about a specific drug

American Drug Index (Facts and comerison)

easy identification of brand to generic name or vice-versa. Allows for identification of multi-ingredient formulations if only one component is known.

Applied Theropuetics: The clinical use of drugs (Uni Cal)

*Uses case histories to mimic actual practice situations followed by therapeutic questions and wellreferenced answers

provides very useful information pertaining to the practical clinical use of drugs for the treatment of many different conditions;

The Complete German Comminsion E Monographs: Theropeutic Guide to herbal medicine (American Botanical Council)

English translation of the German Commission E monographs. (Considered an authoritative source on herbal products)

Drug Facts and Comparisons (Facts and comparisons)

Drugs are divided into logical, related therapeutic or pharmacological groups, categorized so that similar drugs can be easily compared. (provides comparisons of closely related drugs)

Drug Information Handbook ( Lexi-comp)

- quick reference ( does not provide detailed information)

Drug Interaction Facts (Facts and Comperisons)

Evaluates primary literature describing drug-drug interactions

Drug Interactions Anslysis and Management (Hansten and Horn)

Monographs designed to provide reader with information needed to assess the degree of patient risk with the interaction and to prevent adverse effects

Drug in Pregnancy and Lactation (Williams and Wilkins)

A lot of information comes from case reports (e.g., report of the outcome of one or a small number of women who happened to use the drug while pregnant or breast feeding) - but that is expected for this type of information • Includes not only drugs, but vaccines, vitamins, drugs of abuse, artificial sweeteners, etc.

Drug Topics Red Book

directory of over 150,000 Rx and OTC drugs

clinical reference guide (Alcohol and sugar free products, drug food interactions, drug photosensitivity, drugs that should not be crushed, etc.),

Evalulations of Drug INteractions (Firstdatabank)

Summary - overall effect of the interaction

Mechanism of the interaction o Recommendations - suggested management of the interaction

Handbook of Injectable Drugs (ASHP)

Each drug listing contains text (product information, dosage and administration routes, drug stability information, storage requirements) and compatibility tables divided into four different sections (solution compatibility, additive compatibility, drugs in syringe compatibility, Y-site compatibility)

The Harriet Lane Handbook (John Hopkins)

Drug Doses section not comprehensive and primary literature sources are generally not used; sometimes errors occur in dosages - ALWAYS GOOD IDEA TO DOUBLE-CHECK PEDIATRIC DRUG DOSES IN MORE THAN ONE SOURCE

Ident-A-Drug (Therapeutic Research Center)

One large chart

organized by numerical or alphabetical order

Martindale: The Extra Pharmacopoiea (The Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain)

International in scope

alphabetical listing of official proprietary (i.e., brand) names of products from all over the world • Excellent source for information about foreign drugs or investigational drugs in U.S. (

Merck Index

physical and chemical properties of organic chemical agents and pharmaceuticals

Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs

Editorial team is international in scope -

To use - access most recent main volume and annuals since then (check both for complete information) • Contains information about investigational drugs in U.S.; most comprehensive textbook source for documented adverse reaction information

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database • Published yearly in association with the Pharmacist's Letter

Includes entries for many natural, herbal, alternative medicines listed alphabetically

The Pediatric Dosage Handbook • Published by Lexi-Comp

Excellent reference source for pediatric dosage information; doesn't provide comprehensive information about other areas

The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics • Often referred to as Goodman and Gilman's (editors)

Considered gold standard for pharmacology information • Divided by the body system drugs affect • Contains information on physical and chemical properties, pharmacology and mechanism of action (details structure activity relationships), side and adverse effects, toxicology, therapeutic uses.

Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiological Approach • Published by McGraw-Hill/Appleton and Lange

Provides more detailed discussion of pathophysiology than other therapeutics text

Excellent therapeutics text, quite detailed

Physician's Desk Reference • Published by Medical Economics Company, Inc.

Various PDR references:

*Most widely used drug reference by physicians • Manufacturers pay to have their products included in PDR

*Do not rely upon the PDR as your primary drug information resource

Professional's Guide to Patient Drug Facts

A much simplified, lay language version of Facts and Comparisons

Remington: The Science and Practice of Pharmacy

practice of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences • Divided into nine main sections: Orientation, pharmaceutics, pharmaceutical chemistry, testing and analysis, radioisotopes in pharmacy and medicine, pharmaceutical and medicinal agents, biological products, pharmaceutical preparations and their manufacture, pharmaceutical practice.

Trissel's Stability of Compounded Formulations • Published by APhA

information on compounding preparation methods

Each listing contains: drug properties (solubility, pH, pKa, osmolality, etc.), general stability considerations, stability reports of compounded products, and commercial availability

USAN and USP Dictionary of Drug Names • Published yearly by U.S. Pharmacopoeia

Provides U.S. adopted and international non-proprietary drug names and official USP names.